Mile-a-minute vine: What you need to know about the plant that can grow 6 inches a day

The emerald ash borer, an invasive insect, has decimated local ash trees over the past 5-8 years, and is making removal of these trees a necessity for area property owners, Monday, August 14, 2017.
Robert Scheer/IndyStar

An invasive vine that can grow as much as 6 inches per day has been discovered for the first time in Indiana.

The vine has also been reported in Richland County in Ohio. No Kentucky reports are catalouged.

Ellen Jacquart, invasive education chair for the Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society, confirmed the identity of the vine after a consultant for INDOT discovered it in Monroe County last fall. Here's what you need to know.

What does mile-a-minute vine look like?

Mile-a-minute vine has long barbs that allow it to climb over other plants.(Photo: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org)

"It has swollen nodes, so the nodes where the leaves attached are wider than the rest of the stem, and then it has recurved barbs up and down the stem, so it almost hangs on to you," Jacquart said.

The leaves are light green with a nearly perfect triangle shape, according to a Purdue Extension fact sheet. Small white flowers may emerge on the vine and eventually develop into dark blue "berry-like fruit."

Where does mile-a-minute come from?

The plant is originally from Asia, and like other invasive plant, thrives in an environment without insect predators, herbivores or fungi that would naturally keep the plant in check in its homeland. It was likely introduced to the United States during the 1930s via imports for landscaping nurseries.

Why is it bad?

The plant becomes a nuisance because its rapid growth can push out other plants, said Jacquart, who is also chair of Monroe County Identify and Reduce Invasive Species. Using its barbs, the vine climbs up and over plants, blocking the sun and robbing other species of water and nutrients.

Mile-a-minute vine is similar to kudzu in that way, except for one key difference: It's an annual, rather than perennial. That means that unlike kudzu, mile-a-minute does not have an extensive root system, so it's easier to kill. But the sooner it's dealt with the better: The vine can become a perpetual nuisance if given enough time to produce several generations of seeds.

Where else is mile-a-minute found?

This is the first report of the plant in Indiana, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. This is also the farthest west the plant has cataloged by the Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System, with several hundred miles between Monroe County and the closes sites in Ohio and West Virginia.

This, Jacquart said, is likely because of human intervention. Despite the hazards of the plant, some gardeners still seek it out.

What should I do if I think I've found mile-a-minute?

Jacquart encourages Hoosiers who think they've found mile-a-minute vine in their yards to report it to eedmaps.org. Make sure to include pictures of the stem and leaves to help with identification. A team of botanists will then confirm the identity of the plant.

Marty Besnon, a representative of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said the agency is aware of the find and will follow up at the site "to make sure we do not need to do any additional treatments to control this invasive plant."

Megan Abraham, director for the DNR's Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology (DEPP) encourages people to contact her department if they think they've found mile-a-minute, kudzu or any other invasive plant.

"We are always interested in knowing what people see," she said. "We have 10 people on staff that covers the entire state so we rely on the public. We’d much rather have a false alarm than have something that we could have controlled a lot easier before it got big."

People who think they've found an invasive species can send an email with your name, address, phone number, what species you've seen and in what county you saw it in to depp@dnr.IN.gov. Include a photo if possible. Alternatively, people can call 1-866-NO EXOTIC (663-9684).

Emily Hopkins covers the environment for IndyStar. Contact them at (317) 444-6409 or emily.hopkins@indystar.com. Follow them on Twitter: @_thetextfiles.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.